With the US military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy still on the books, it's hard to imagine Adam Lambert being invited to perform for US troops.

But gay Canadian Idol winner Theo Tams recently travelled to Afghanistan to perform for Canadian soldiers. 

From the Montreal Gazette:

Tams was quick to accept the invitation to perform for the troops, but, as an openly gay man, he was uncertain how he would be received.

"I was thinking 1,200 soldiers weren't necessarily my demographic," he said with a laugh. "But they welcomed me with open arms. It was an honour to sing the national anthem for them on Canada Day." (read more at the Montreal Gazette)

Tams performing in Kandahar (image via Facebook)

Here's a clip of Tams performing an acoustic version of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" in Kandahar:

Watch the video for Tams' newest single "Manhattan Blue," featuring So You Think You Can Dance Canada winner Tara-Jean Popowich and runner-up Vincent Desjardins:

Find out more about Theo Tams at theotams.com. 

Upon being chosen the US Republican VP nominee weeks ago, Sarah Palin became an overnight celebrity...and instant punchline. There's numerous impersonations of her (like the hilarious Sara Benincasa or the sexy Gina Gershon), "Bourne" hero Matt Damon says he's terrified of her, Barney's creative director Simon Noonan says, "She is so LensCrafters" (burn!) and even the lovely Lynda "Wonder Woman" Carter totally went off on her in an interview!

Yes, for a moment, I felt sorry for the lying, corrupt, book-banning fundamentalist until I watched last night's first-ever interview she's deigned to allow, in which she doesn't even understand the questions posed to her. Bring on another eight years cause she's George W. Bush in lipstick!

Why not Dolly Parton for VP? If you ever needed more proof that the "backwoods Barbie" is awesome, how about this impromptu performance she gave at the premiere of the "9 to 5" musical (why does this exist, by the way?) after a technical malfunction stopped the show.

Here in Canada, Rabble's Ariel Troster brings us "Three big, gay issues you won’t hear about during this election." What, wasn't Theo Tams being elected "Canadian Idol" enough for you?

Matt Thomas has the gay goings-on at the Toronto International Film Festival covered but here's a weird sidebar story: at a screening last week, the New York Post's Lou Lumenick smacked fellow film critic Roger Ebert with a big festival book. Ebert responded with his usual wit and grace but you just know Siskel would've kicked that guy's ass!

It took 14 years for "Murphy Brown" creator Diane English to get her "Sex and the City"-ish update of George Cukor's classic 1939 comedy "The Women" into theatres today but, by the sounds of it, it'll take me 14 years to want to watch it.

And a great big thank you to US Marine Sgt. Rodolfo 'Rudy' Reyes, who played himself in the HBO Iraq war drama "Generation Kill" and did it naked. Semper Fi!